Rapides Parish Logger Arrested For Timber Theft

BATON ROUGE – Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry investigators with the forestry division have arrested a 55-year-old Pineville man for allegedly harvesting 10 acres of land and not compensating the landowner.

Michael Edwards, who owns M&M Logging Co. of Pineville, La., was arrested March 12, 2018.

Last month, the LDAF received a complaint from a Rapides Parish landowner that Edwards never paid the landowner proceeds from the land that was harvested in 2016.

“During the investigation, we discovered that Edwards allegedly misappropriated more than $14,000 that belonged to the landowner,” said Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M.  

Edwards also reportedly admitted to stealing the timber and was booked into the Rapides Parish Jail.

If convicted, Edwards faces jail time up to 10 years and/or a fine of not more than $10,000.